The invention generally relates to the production of benzoin ethers by reaction of benzoin with an alcohol utilizing phosphorous oxychloride as the catalyst for the reaction with hydrogen chloride as acid reacting agent.
The reaction of alkyl alcohols with benzoin to produce benzoin ethers is known utilizing various acid catalysts. However, even under carefully controlled operating conditions the yields did not exceed about 80%.
Furthermore, there is no indication of the known methods having been used to produce bisbenzoin ethers.